There is a need in the art for media having excellent receptivity to inkjet printing and to provide for excellent transfer to a receiving surface. Such a product should provide an image of high resolution, relatively high gloss with bright, vivid, saturated color gamut and stencil look without requiring pasting, fuss or mess. The inkjet printable waterslide transferable media of the present invention satisfies these requirements. No such existing products are known.
So-called inkjet window decals are now available or reported in the literature. They are inkjet printable film or paper constructions with low tack pressure sensitive adhesive coated on the opposite side or static cling treatment and are die cut before one can fix them to a receiving surface. They have thick, telltale carrier film or paper. The resultant print graphics, after application, looks hazy with a distinctive film outline around the graphics. In contrast, the present waterslide transfer film is much thinner, barely visible, and gives the graphics a truer hand painting or stencil look without a telltale carrier film.
The present invention comprises an inkjet printable waterslide transferable media, which comprises:
(1) a water-absorbing porous backing sheet,
(2) a water soluble resin-coating applied to said backing sheet,
(3) a waterproof film-forming resin coating, and
(4) a waterproof inkjet receptive coating.
The waterproof inkjet receptive coating preferably comprises:
(1) a binder
(2) a charge control agent
(3) a cross-linking agent
(4) an adhesion enhancing agent, and
(5) a dispersant
Basically, inkjet graphics are obtained through the printing of an inkjet printer based on its reception by the novel waterproof inkjet receptive coating layer. A novel resin-coated carrier sheet forms a tough thin film which seals and isolates the printed graphics from being dissolved by water when the imaging sheet is soaked in water. Once soaking starts, the resin dissolves and the thin film is released and glue is generated. This serves to adhere the printed graphics to the receiving surface.
Typically, the present novel media is soaked in water for 0.5 to 1 minute until the film portion of the media slides off the carrier sheet allowing transfer to a receiving surface.
The transfer receiving surfaces include regular papers, board, films, plastics, tapes, aluminum foils, metalized papers, fabrics, glass, mirror, wood, ceramic tiles, sink surface, plaster walls, furniture, cabinets, embossed wallpapers and the like.
Media applications include the areas of graphic arts, crafts, artistic and engineering drawing and design, symbols, sign, banner, poster, labeling, coding systems for advertising, communication, presentation, overhead projector, transportion, exhibition, interior decoration, outdoor display, zoo, botanical garden, or other commercial/industrial use, as well as for kids"" party or play as games. The media are compatible with various inkjet printers, e.g., Epson, HP, Lexmark or Canon and their inks. The present waterslide media feature excellent receptivity to inkjet printing and generate effects of professional artwork. The printed ink is fast drying, within a minute. The image is of high resolution, relatively high gloss, and with bright, vivid, saturated color gamut and stencil look with no pasting, fuss or mess. The image is feathering/bleeding-free, smudge/scrub/scratch-resistant, and water/outdoor-weather proof.